Canceling apparatus



AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS S. HUDSON, OF EAST CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CANCELING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 59,225, dated October 30, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. HUDSON, of East Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have made a new and useful invention having reference to mechanism for canceling revenue or other stamps, or for printing letters or devices on paper or various other materials; and I do hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following` specification and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a transverse section, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal section, of a canceling-stamp as provided with my invention. Fig. 4 is a top view, Fig. 5 a bottom view, and Figs. 6 and 7 transverse vertical sections, of its type-chase. Figs. 8 and 9 are end views, and Fig. l0 a side elevation," of one of the removable types of such chase.

In the said drawings, A denotes the frame of y the machine, it being provided with a bed, a.,

on which the paper to be imprinted or carrying a stamp to be canceled is to rest while receiving an imprint. The said frame supports a tubular plunger, B, provided with an. elevatin g-spring, b. The said plunger also has ahead, c, for receiving the blow of a persons hand when brought down upon the plunger for the purpose of depressing it toward the bed.

In the lower part of the plunger there is a socket, h, to receive and hold a type-chase, hf, which is retained in place in the socket by a clamp-screw, z', screwed into the plunger and against or into the chase.

The said chase I usually construct with certain stationary types or printing devices eX- tending from its lower face, and also with one or more recesses or spaces, 7c 7c, for receiving and holding one or more movable types, d d, such as, for instance, would be employed for printing the name of or the figures Vor characters indicative of a year. Each of the said type-recesses I make tapering or dovetailed both longitudinally and transversely, or so as to hold the type from dropping vertically through it and from falling laterally out of it, and with a printing-wheel cha-in or chainwheel receiving space or chamber, c2, which is formed vertically through the chase, and has the printin g-wheel and its type-chain arranged init in manner as represented in the drawings.

Each ofthe said movable types d d, I make ofa shape to correspond with the recess destined to receive it-that is to say, when the recess is dovetailed both longitudinally andtransversely-so as to hold the type in direc- ,of the sprocket-wheel l and `that of another wheel, m', both of the said wheels and the chain being arranged -within the plunger in manner as represented in the drawings.

The said endless chain m contains thirtyone links, which have projecting from them the iigures for printing the various numbers from one tothirty-one, indicative of the days of a month.

An inking-ribbon, D, applied to and on two spindles, q r, arranged in manner as shown in the drawings, extends underneath and across the printing-surface of the chase, such ribbon being covered with a pigment or composition, which will offset when pressed against paper by the chase and its types. The said printingy ribbon is principally supported within one or more covering-cases applied to the plunger, and so made as to prevent falling dirt from gathering on the rolled-up parts of the ribbon and the plunger.

I prefer to employ two separate cases or boxes, as shown at E E, which are arranged so as to project from opposite sides of the plunger, or a collar, F, encompassing the same, and held in place therein by the screw which fast ens the type-chain to the plunger. Each of the. said -cases or boxes E E carries one of the winding-spindles q r of the inking-ribbon, which, attached at its ends to the two spindles, is-wound ou one, and from thence is to be unwound by and wound up on theother,

as circumstances may require, in order to supply the type with the necessary amount of offsetting matter.

On each spindle is a friction-spring, s, which is arranged between the milled head t of the spindle and a movable head or c'ap, u, of the box E, and presses against the two.

The opposite end of the box is astationary cap or cover, the spindle passing through it,

and being provided with a hole extending transversely through it close to'and outside of it, such hole being for reception of a split or cut ring, u', or its equivalent, which serves to hold the spindle in place against the pressure of its spring.

rlhe cap u, which is to be so fitted to the box as to be easily removed from it with the spindle, is held in place by the spring.

The ribbon goes through a slot or opening made in the side of the box, and opening through the end which receives the movable cap.

The object of making each of the inkingribbon boxes with a removable cap and windingspindle is to enable the ribbon to be easily removed from and applied to the boxes, and previously to being applied to them to be moved on one of the spindles. This saves many inconveniences which would otherwise result.

I am aware that types whose sides were plane surfaces have been made wedgeshaped or dovetailing longitudinally.

I am also aware that types two of whose opposite sides were curved surfaces have been made dovetailin g longitudinally and with their two edges arranged in planes radial to a common center or axis, in order that such types could be placed Within a circular groove.

I make no claim to the invention of such types. My types not only have their two opposite sides plane surfaces and parallel to each other, but they are'trapezoidal in transverse as well as in longitudinal section, and are required to be so to prevent them from falling out of place both longitudinally and laterally, and the chase sockets or recesses for holding such type are correspondingly formed.

In the above-described canceling-stamp or printing apparatus I claim as my invention the following: v

1. The movable type as made with the longitudinal and transverse dovetails and with parallel plane-surface sides, as and for the purpose set forth,in combination with the typechase as made with its type sockets or recesses dovetailed longitudinally and transversely, or so as to hold t-he type in manner as specified, and with a wheel-receivin g space or chamber arranged within it and opening into each of such type-sockets.

2. The ribbon box or case as constructed with the ribbon-leceiving opening, the remov able cap and winding-spindle, and its holdingring or the equivalent thereof, the whole being applied substantially as specified.

` THOS. S. HUDSON. Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr. 

